Page 5 of Dirty Wife

Excitement stirs in my groins. “No, but if you make a strong case, I might just start smoking,” I say.

She bites her lower lip, a promise evident in her eyes.

I glance around me, searching for Cal, but he’s still away, talking to his coworker. No one will miss me, right? Discreetly, I slide off the stool and follow her. My heart beats in staccato with each step.

She opens the glass door leading outside, and I’m behind her. Quickly, she turns around and grabs me, and slams me against the wall. I kiss her, and her mouth is hungry for more. She tastes like a bit of scotch and also something more raw… more carnal.

I take control by switching around so she’s against the wall and I’m stabbing my tongue inside her, tasting more of her. She encircles her hands around my neck, and with a swift move I wrap her legs around my waist. She’s hot and ready for me.

My cock is ready for her too, straining against my pants so hard, making me lightheaded with lust. I touch her breasts over her shirt, and sneak my hand inside. Her nipple greets me, taut and full. I nibble her lip, earning a moan or two from her, and then I pinch her nipple a bit. Another moan—this one sounds like it belongs in a porn movie.

I withdraw from her, and look at her square in the eye. She reaches down to my cock, not breaking eye contact. Then, an acidy sensation spreads through my gut, and my stomach clenches like someone punched me.

I look at her but I see Ava—when we were about to finish fucking, when I was about to let her and myself finally come, and…

I physically disengage from Marion, jerking away, and she gasps, leaning against the wall. Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair. I couldn’t have sex with Ava because I couldn’t forgive her… but how am I different from her now? I was about to fuck a complete stranger to fill a void I should have addressed—with the person I love.

“What’s wrong?” Marion asks me, lifting her eyebrow. She fixes herself, abruptly smoothing her hand over the shirt, not too happy about my faux pas.

“A lot, but it’s time I fixed it,” I say, determination bolting through me.

5

Ava

I finish eatingthe food I heated ins the microwave, some healthy easy dish with a lot of broccoli and not enough carbs. Sighing, I reach for my glass filled with too much red wine. I sip, looking at my beautiful kitchen.

It’s been weeks since he’s left. I’ve tried to focus at work on the ad agency, or distract myself by meeting friends for drinks after. But every day is a reminder of all I’ve lost—my husband.

After I lost my mother, I dove deep into a well of sadness—which made me flirt with someone and sext him, what got me in trouble with Jack. Now that he’s gone, the sadness over losing my mother has returned with a vengeance, accompanied by the pain of saying goodbye to my partner.

He hasn’t served me the divorce papers yet, but every time the phone rings or the doorbell, I get startled, anxious and worried. I know it’s coming any time, and there is nothing I can do to fix it.

My marriage is over, and there’s nothing else that can be done. Hell, he wouldn’t even look me in the eye when we had sex. What does that tell me? I sigh. Another wave of disappointment washes over me.

The doorbell rings, and I chug another generous amount of wine before I stand and dash to the door.

I open the door, and Jack is on the other side. With his hair damp and face shaved, he looks like he could have walked out of a shower now. Even his scent is clean and crisp.

“Can we talk?” he asks.

I nod, an open the door wider for him to enter.

After he comes in, I smooth my hand down my sweatpants and shirt. My heart races, and blood drains from my face. What if he’s here to have the talk about our assets and how we move forward? I look at his hands, searching for an envelope or briefcase, but there’s nothing there.

He sits on the sofa, and I chose the love seat across from him. “How have you been?”

“Okay, you?” I say.

“I’ve been thinking a lot.”

No kidding. Three weeks and no phone call or visit.

“I was at a happy hour earlier, and this bartender came onto me. We made out.”

I swallow. Why on Earth would he tell me about his new adventures as a single man? I sink into the seat, a chilly sensation spilling into my stomach. Maybe he’s not the man I thought he was. What if Jack wants to purposely make me suffer and punish me in a different away? That I won’t have. “I appreciate your update, but I don’t—”

He lifts his hand, a silent plea for me to let him finish. “I didn’t have sex with her.”

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